News March 28 ! CNI ! Bishop Noel Treanor with parishioners at the reopening of the Church of the Immaculate Conception on Rathlin Island on Sunday Tiny Rathlin Island church is rededicated following renovations Northern Ireland's most northerly church reopened its doors with a celebratory Mass on Sunday, the Belfast Telegraph reports. [email protected] Page !1 News March 28 Bathed in glorious sunshine, the Church of the Immaculate Conception on Rathlin Island will serve the picturesque island's tiny community of around 150 people after recent renovations. Bishop of Down and Connor Noel Treanor reminded those gathered of how the island's parishioners met for worship in penal times in various parts of the island - including in the shade of an overhanging rock at Ballynagarad, at a large stone in Kilpatrick, and in a hollow called Lag an Sassanach. Later, an old deserted mill on the site of where the Church of the Immaculate Conception now stands was converted into a place of worship on or around 1816. However, the building was believed to have been a poor state of repair, and was eventually replaced in 1865 by the 48ft long by 18ft wide building that stands on the same site now. The church lies a short walk from the harbour at the top of Church Brae. The local website advises visitors to turn right after St Thomas' church - the local Church of Ireland - to find it. [email protected] Page !2 News March 28 In his homily, Bishop Treanor told those gathered for worship in the church yesterday that Rathlin, "like ourselves, is part of a world and of a society which, for all the achievements of modernity, is now searching for, indeed sometimes screaming for, ultimate meaning, purpose and hope". He added: "Living in the world wide web we cannot escape the questions and challenges of human existence in our times." St Patrick’s Choristers raise the roof for Diocesan Housing Appeal St Patrick’s Cathedral’s Choristers and special guests, the Suzanne Savage Trio, raised the roof on Friday evening (March 24) with a fantastic concert in aid of Dublin & Glendalough’s Diocesan Refugee Housing Appeal. The cathedral was packed for the concert which saw the choristers taking a break from their usual sacred music to let their hair down with some classic jazz numbers as well as some songs featured on their ‘In Dublin’s Fair City’ CD. They were accompanied by Victoria Green on guitar, David Leigh on piano, Martina Smyth on organ and directed by Stuart Nicholson. Suzanne Savage, with Dave Redmond on bass [email protected] Page !3 News March 28 " ! and Phil Ware on piano, brought a smokey jazz club vibe to proceedings. ! Dublin & Glendalough plans to raise #100,000 a year for the next three years to assist an accommodation programme being devised by the Irish Refugee Council and the Association of Missionaries and Religious in Ireland. ! The IRC specialises in working with refugees and people in the asylum process. In association with AMRI it is in the process of acquiring several properties in Dublin and around the country which will provide first time accommodation for people waiting to come out of Direct Provision Centres. ! [email protected] Page !4 News March 28 " ! Dean William Morton, Archbishop Michael Jackson, Suzanne Savage, Canon Horace McKinley and Nick Henderson, CEO of the Irish Refugee Council, with his daughter. When people are granted leave to remain in Ireland it can be extremely di$cult for them to find accommodation which enables them to leave Direct Provision Centres. The programme also provides practical assistance to help people emerging from Direct Provision, where they may have spent several years, adjust to become functioning and contributing members of society. ! [email protected] Page !5 News March 28 AMRI also wants to help provide accommodation for refugees, many of whom are from Syria, who arrive in Ireland under the Government’s emergency response programme. The project will also help prevent additional burden being placed on homelessness services. ! Bringing the evening to a close, Archbishop Michael Jackson thanked the cathedral and the choristers for organising such a wonderful concert. He explained to background to the diocesan appeal which emerged with Diocesan Councils were urged to do something practical to help with the refugee and homelessness situation. ! “This project has to do with welcome and practical integration and the dignity of the individuals which is brought by independent housing,” the Archbishop explained. “Without the willingness of all who have given their talent this evening and lifted the roof, this could not happen. I thank the Cathedral Chapter, the Choristers and all who have given us not only enjoyment and entertainment but excellence of the highest quality. All of us associated with the project greatly appreciate your presence here.”! In addition to the proceeds of a retiring collection following the concert, Dean William [email protected] Page !6 News March 28 Morton presented Archbishop Jackson with a generous donation towards the project on behalf of the Board of St Patrick’s Cathedral. ! To contribute to the appeal monies can be forwarded by cheque to: the United Dioceses of Dublin and Glendalough, Church House, Church Avenue, Rathmines, Dublin 6 (marked Housing Appeal). Donations can also be lodged directly to: DIOCESAN FUNDS OF DUBLIN AND GLENDALOUGH, Bank of Ireland, College Green, Dublin 2, BIC: BOFIIE2D, IBAN: IE50 BOFI 9000 1769 3548 78, Reference: Housing appeal. Donations may attract a tax rebate.! Archbishop Eamon Martin says the Catholic Church does not want an Irish theocracy Iona Institute holds first conference in Northern Ireland, the Irish Times reports! Archbishop Eamon Martin has told the inaugural conference of the Iona Institute Northern Ireland that the Catholic Church has no desire to create a theocracy in Ireland, but wants respect for its beliefs and values.! [email protected] Page !7 News March 28 ! The Catholic Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All-Ireland was the keynote speaker at the event in south Belfast, which was organised by the Catholic advocacy group to explore “faith in the public square”. ! Delegates at the event in St Brigid’s Parish Hall also heard from former Police Ombudsman Nuala O’Loan and former SDLP MLA Alban Maginness, among others. ! The archbishop told attendees the Catholic Church expected that “in a true pluralist democracy or republic, religion and faith will continue to have an important part to play in the national conversation”. ! [email protected] Page !8 News March 28 He acknowledged the Catholic Church’s “child abuse scandals and other shameful episodes” in the past.! He encouraged Catholics to meet like-minded Christians more often to share their values and contribute to discussions. ! He said Catholics did not enter public debate “simply to win arguments”, but to present “a coherent ethic of life, based on natural law, which includes, for example, our teaching about the sacredness of human life and the dignity of the person; about the centrality of the family; about solidarity, and the need for a fair distribution of goods in the world”. ! He claimed society is inclined to prioritise “a limited conception of freedom, often understood in a reductionist and limited fashion which doesn’t always lead to human flourishing”. ! The archbishop also backed a recent call by bishops for Northern voters to engage in the democratic process and question politicians on matters such as child poverty, abortion, marriage, faith-based education, persecuted groups across the world and the rights of refugees. ! [email protected] Page !9 News March 28 He said the “voice of faith or religion is not simply for the privacy of our homes and churches”. Meath & Kildare team to visit and learn from Leprosy Mission in India Members from Meath & Kildare dioceses will be experiencing the work of The leprosy Mission (TLM) Ireland at first hand at the beginning of April. 12 people will be travelling to Kairigiri, in the region of Tamil Nadu on Easter Monday, 17th April and arriving back on 23rd.! The dioceses of Meath and Kildare is running a ‘Good for the Sole’ project this year to raise funds for life changing surgeries for those a%ected by leprosy. Members of the dioceses will see the di%erence that this can make in people’s lives.! The team are flying into Chennai and spending their time in the region of Tamil Nadu. They will be based in the TLM Hospital in Karigiri, staying in the hospital guest houses. They will be seeing the work of that hospital and another one about 3 hours away, meeting people who might have benefited from the kind of surgeries the dioceses have been raising money for. [email protected] Page !10 News March 28 The visit is also an opportunity to learn about research that is going on in relation to ending leprosy and developing better treatments for it in the meantime. The team will also get the chance to meet local people who are going through a rehabilitation programme after being cured of the disease. That includes medical aspects but also learning skills for rejoining the workforce and being readmitted into society. Last year the dioceses raised money to buy specially designed sandals for leprosy su%erers. There will be an opportunity to visit the factory where these sandals are made.! So why are members of Meath and Kildare visiting Karigiri? The whole purpose of the visit was summed up by the team during a group discussion at a recent team day: "The team are journeying to the Karigiri and Vada hospitals to meet the real people behind the stories and to further develop our partnership with The Leprosy Mission Ireland."! There is a great mix of people coming from the dioceses.